Post on 28-Oct-2020
Religious Relationships
CommitteeDeveloping Council Programs
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A Presentation for Council Scout Executives and Council
Executive Boards
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On my honor I will do my best to do
my duty to God and my country and
to obey the Scout Law; to help other
people at all times; to keep myself
physically strong, mentally awake,
and morally straight.
The first thing a Scout pledges is his
or her Duty to God.
In May, 2018, the National Executive Board of the
Boy Scouts of America stated: “… the commitment
of the movement to Duty to God is unwavering”
and reaffirmed “… its unequivocal commitment to
the Declaration of Religious Principle as a
fundamental component of the mission of the Boy
Scouts of America.”
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Declaration of Religious Principle
The BSA maintains that no member can grow into the best
kind of citizen without recognizing an obligation to God….
The recognition of God is necessary to the best type of
citizenship and is a wholesome precept in the education of
the growing members. No matter what the religious faith of
the members may be, this fundamental need for good
citizenship should be kept before them. The Boy Scouts of
America therefore recognizes the religious element in the
training of the members, but it is absolutely nonsectarian in
the attitude toward that religious training. Its policy is that
the home and the organization or group with which the
member is connected shall give definite attention to
religious life.
A Religious Relationships
Committee can help a Council
support their Scouts’
Duty to God
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The purpose of a Religious Relationships
Committee is to help Scouting expand
opportunities for children, youth, adults, and
families within the Council to expand their faith
and learn about others’ faiths through local
religious organizations.
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Said another way, the Committee should cooperate
with the Council in its effort to fulfill Scouting’s belief
‘‘that no member can grow into the best kind of citizen
without recognizing an obligation to God.’’
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How Can a Religious
Relationships Committee Help a
Council?
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A Religious Relationships
Committee Can
• Promote Charter Organization relationships with faith-based organizations.
• Help youth and adult members to grow in their faith and to respect others’ religious traditions as part of their Scouting journey.
• Use Universities of Scouting and other training events to increase awareness of the available age-appropriate religious emblems for youth members and recognize youth who receive those religious emblems.
A Religious Relationships
Committee Can
• Bring added emphasis to the observance of Scout
Sunday, Scout Sabbath, Scout Jumuah, and other
Scout religious observances such as hikes to places
of worship, faith based retreats and religious
emblem workshops.
• Recruit, train and provide Chaplains for Council
camps, as well as scheduled religious services for
Council and District events.
• Represent the religious diversity of the Council.
Steps to Form a
Religious
Relationships
Committee
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Recruit/Assign Key Leadership
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Vice President for Relationships
(Member of Executive Board)
Relationships Staff Advisor(Advisor to Relationships Committee)
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Relationships Leadership
Team
Identify and Recruit a
Vice President for
Relationships
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The Person Selected as the Vice
President for Relationships should be
Someone Who:
•Knows and is active in Scouting
•Is able to connect with multiple local Faith Groups
•Has good leadership skills
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Assign a Senior
Professional to the role
of Relationships Staff
Advisor
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If the relationship to
Chartered Partners is a
Council priority, the
professional selected should
make it a major priority.
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Relationships Staff Advisor
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Committee
membership should
represent the religious
diversity of the Council
Where Can Committee Members Be
Found
• Incorporate Existing Denominational Relationships Committees
• Invite representatives from all faith based charter partners in Council to join committee
• Recruit from Local Recipients of Adult Religious Awards
• Seek Referrals from Local Faith Group Leadership
• Try to broaden Faith Groups being served by Scouting
• Contact Ministerial Alliances or Community Church Consortiums
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What Can a Religious Relationships Committee Look Like
Establish a Committee
Action Plan
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• Select potential Charter Partners for unit growth and assign resources
• Select Committee Activities
• Encourage religious celebrations
• Encourage use of youth religious emblems including identification of a Council Religious Emblems Coordinator
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Committee Action Plan
What happens when a Council
makes relationships a priority?
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In 2015 Orange County (CA) Council
• Contacted and visited over 80 new unit prospects,
met with over 60 potential chartered partner decision
makers and started 24 new, sustainable units
• Trained 97 Chartered Organization Representatives
Monmouth Council (NJ)
• 80-100 youth religious emblems earned each year
• Hosts Shomer Shabbat camp each summer for Jewish youth needing Kosher food and services daily
• Helped start or revive 6 Packs, 8 Troops, 4 Crews resulting in 10% Cub Scout growth and 15% Boy Scout growth
• Help refurbish existing chapels at camps
• Hosts annual faith based hike
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National Capital Area Council (DC)
• Religious Emblems Workshops
• Boy Scouts merit badge workshop for LDS
• Wood badge session on Religious Emblems and a
LDS friendly course.
• Cub scout training Sabbath Friendly
• Jewish/Muslim Camporee/Derby/Regatta
• New or Revived Units: Packs 2, Troops 4, Crews 1
with trained leaders
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Resources
• Chartered Organization Resource Guide(522-925CD)
• Unit Performance Guide(522-025)
• Chaplain/Chaplain Aide Traininghttps://www.scouting.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Chaplain-Training-V-4-04042018.pdf
• BSA Duty To God Brochure: https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/512-879_WB.pdf
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Resources continued
• BSA Religious Awards Info:
https://www.scouting.org/awards/religious-awards/
• Getting a Religious Awards Program Started:
https://www.scouting.org/awards/religious-
awards/getstarted/
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Questions/Comments
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Backup Slide
The BSA has Partnered with many
Religious Organizations
• More than thirty Faith Traditions have Youth
Religious Emblems and Adult Awards
(Charter Partners with Religious Awards
Available Through PRAY)
• More than twenty-five Faith Traditions have
signed Memoranda of Understanding with the
BSA: https://scoutingwire.org/marketing-and-
membership-hub/new-unit-
development/chartered-organizations/religious-
chartered-organizations/
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